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Board approves temporary grant fund after agreeing to buy new dispatch software; county to front purchase pending reimbursement
Summary
Supervisors approved creating a grant fund seeded with timber sale proceeds so county dispatch can buy Total Response (formerly PowerPhone) emergency dispatch software and an associated GIS/CAD mapping package while the county applies for a state EMS grant to reimburse much of the cost.
Nottoway supervisors voted to create a dedicated grant account and place the county’s recent timber-sale proceeds into that fund so staff can proceed with an emergency dispatch software purchase while awaiting state reimbursement.
What happened: Dispatch leadership and emergency management presented two competitive quotes for an integrated emergency medical dispatch, fire and police protocol system (branded in materials as Total Response). County staff said the chosen vendor’s quote was about $39,516 for the GIS/CAD integration piece the county will pay up front; the broader Total Response package and annual maintenance would raise the total to a larger multi-year commitment. County administrators reported that the Office of EMS grant program will reimburse roughly 50% (and the reimbursement process is typically rapid for that program).
Board action: The board voted to create a “grant fund” and seed it with timber-proceeds revenue the county recently collected (approximately $197,000 from a timber sale reported in the agenda). The administrators were authorized to obligate funds from that account to pay the dispatch vendor while the county awaits grant reimbursement. Supervisors said staff would aim to complete the Total Response/CAD integration ahead of a July deadline cited for other related timeline pressures.
Why it matters: The software maps nature codes to scripted caller questions and recommended unit assignments. County leaders said it will help dispatchers follow standardized protocols, reduce incorrect unit toning, and improve unit selection and response. Officials also stressed the software will be tied to newly cleaned-up GIS maps the county has been building to make CAD-based unit recommendations accurate.
Next steps: County administration will place the timber proceeds into the grant fund account, issue the vendor purchase order for the GIS/CAD portion and submit the grant application. Staff expect grant reimbursement roughly within 60 days of invoice, according to the Office of EMS timeline discussed in the meeting.
Ending: Supervisors said the work will proceed quickly to have systems and mapping in place by summer; the board approved the temporary funding mechanism to bridge timing between purchase and grant reimbursement.
